Siege of New Liberty
|conc= |next= |name= Siege of New Liberty |image= |conflict= |date= March 7, 2545 - March 21, 2545 |place= Vega System, planet New Liberty |result= Covenant Victory *New Liberty *Heavy casualties on both sides *BRAVE Team delivers UNSC AI Marina to the repaired UNSC Theseus, which retreats to |side1= |side2= |commanders1= * John K. Ricks * Robert Durand† * Maxwell McLawrence† * Daniel Golding * Benjamin Wright * Zachary Miles |commanders2= * Jhao 'Mortumee * Jaor 'Koramee * Arvo 'Zahamee† * Zakl 'Felvaree† |forces1= *2,502,300 available military manpower **Battle Group Whiskey-2 (March 7) ***Two ****UNSC Bayard ****UNSC Columbus ***Four ****UNSC Phoebe ***Eight ****UNSC Manila ****UNSC Thebes ****UNSC Theseus **Battle Group Oscar-4 (March 11) ***Three ***Six ***Twelve **Three **10,420 land assets ***BRAVE Team: ****Brave-One ****Brave-Two ****Brave-Three ****Brave-Four *** **** *** *** **1,410 air assets |forces2=*Fleet of Clairvoyant Resolution (March 7) **One ***Divine Patience **Four **Seven ***Fervent Devotion *Fleet of Righteous Compensation (March 20) **One ***Sacred Retribution **Two **Six **Nine **Eleven *Numerous ground forces |casual1= c. 10,000,000 military and civilian deaths *31 ships **UNSC Bayard **UNSC Columbus **UNSC Phoebe **UNSC Manila **UNSC Thebes *3 orbital defense platforms *Majority of ground forces **Brave-One *Heavy cilivian casualties |casual2= *Entirety of the Fleet of Clairvoyant Resolution *Minimal damage to the Fleet of Righteous Compensation *Nearly all terrestrial forces }} The Siege of New Liberty, otherwise known as the Battle of New Liberty, was a major engagement in the . Spanning from March 7th to March 21st, an initially, worn and battered repelled an invasion fleet, until reinforcements arrived, resulting in a temporary UNSC victory on March 14. The victory was short-lived as an even larger Covenant fleet arrived in-system a week later, crushing the planet's defenses and proceeded with the surface. The Battle Naval Engagement In progress... Ground Engagement In Progress... Aftermath In Progress... Timeline March 7 *'1312 Hours': Sensors detect a fleet of ten Covenant ships exiting slipspace, in system. *'1314 Hours': WINTER CONTINGENCY is declared. Captain Robert Durand, aboard the UNSC Bayard, orders nine of the fourteen UNSC ships to take defense positions around New Liberty's three Orbital Defense Platforms, while Captain Maxwell McLawrence, aboard the UNSC Columbus, decides to confront the incoming fleet with the five remaining ships midway through retreating, realizing they'd not be able to reach the ODPs before the first estimated engagement. *'1328 Hours': Captain Durand's section of the fleet deploy marine and ODST forces to reinforce army troopers on the surface of the planet, as the first salvo's are fired between Captain's McLawrence's ships and the Covenant fleet. The exchange results in the destruction of the UNSC Phoebe, Manila, Thebes and Columbus, leaving the destroyer, UNSC Theseus damaged. The Covenant fleet loses one SDV-class heavy frigate, while another is moderately damaged. *'1340 Hours': Captain Durand orders UNSC Theseus to retreat to the defense formation, luring the Covenant fleet within the ODPs MAC range. *'1344 Hours': Charlemagne station destroy one more SDV-class heavy frigate, along with a CPV-class heavy destroyer, in their pursuit, resulting in the fleet's retreat out of the ODP's range of fire. *'1356 Hours': The CSO-class supercarrier, Divine Patience, along with the three remaining CPV-class heavy destroyers, attempt to 'snipe' UNSC ships as well as the ODPs, successfully destroying two, leaving only the Charlemagne. Captain Durand orders a head-on attack on the fleet to protect the last MAC, while UNSC Theseus enters the city of Charlemagne's shipping yard for repairs. *'1411 Hours': Two UNSC destroyers are destroyed as the remains of the UNSC battle group engage the Covenant fleet. An additional heavy frigate is destroyed with various other Covenant ships receive varying damage, while all but the UNSC Bayard are destroyed or completely crippled. *'1415 Hours': Captain Durand makes his last stand as he orders the UNSC Bayard to set a collision course into the cluster of Covenant ships, resulting in the destruction of one more heavy destroyer, while also inflicting minimal damage to the supercarrier, Divine Patience. *'1420 Hours': Divine Patience, with the four remaining frigates, perform an in-system slipspace jump to bypass Charlemagne station and descend to New Liberty's surface, deploying troops and attacking less protected cities. The remaining two destroyers remain outside MAC range to serve as first-respondents to any incoming UNSC reinforcements. March 8 *'0700 Hours': Captain of the UNSC Theseus, Benjamin Wright, is informed of imminent reinforcements. March 10 *'1600 Hours': The five Covenant ships, in atmosphere, encroach the Rennes province, settling around the outskirts of Charlemagne, New Brittany and Gradlon. March 11 *'0300 Hours': Battle Group Oscar-4, comprised on twenty-one ships, arrive in system. Divine Patience and two of the four Covenant frigates are recalled to assist in repelling the Battle Group. *'0315 Hours': Losing two destroyers and a frigate while reforming battle lines, Captain Daniel Golding orders a direct assault on the Covenant battle cluster. *'0320 Hours': The Covenant fleet loses their two frigates and a destroyer, while the headlong attack results in the destruction of seven more UNSC vessels, and varying damage among the rest of the Battle Group. Captain Golding orders remaining ships to form a defensive perimeter around the planet, effectively cutting off the remaining supercarrier and destroyer from the last two remaining frigates. *'0323 Hours': General John K. Ricks denies authorization to use MAC rounds in atmosphere as both Covenant frigates remain above the cities of Charlemagne and Gradlon. *'0400 Hours': UNSC battle group deploy marine forces to reinforce battered Army personnel combating Covenant ground forces. Major Miles deploys BRAVE Team with objective of reaching TRIDENT Base to extract high-priority personnel and destroy said complex. Initial deployments come into contact with heavy anti-air resistance; only viable route available is across the Est-Rivière Mountain Range. *'0415 Hours': BRAVE Team's escort encounters recently placed anti-aircraft emplacements on the eastern side of the mountain range. Brave-Three's UH-144 Falcon is shot down, leaving the rest of BRAVE Team to continue onward into Rennes province without him. *'0452 Hours': Brave-Three joins a team of ODSTs with the objective of a torch-and-burn op of the nearby Chalybs Testing Facility. The team is soon decimated by Special Operations Sangheili, though are avenged by the spartan. *'0536 Hours': Brave-Three comes into contact with the remainder of Second Squad at the mountain entrance of the testing facility. The group encounters Zealot-class sangheili and dispatches them. *'0549 Hours': Brave-Three interacts with UNSC AI Hans and succeeds in Cole Protocol, activating the facility's self destruct sequence. Three and marines barely reach the safety radius. *'0601 Hours': Covenant frigate, Fervent Devotion, barrages the facility's city entrance in a vain attempt to destroy a reported 'demon'. General Ricks makes radio contact with Brave-Three, assigning him a mission to destroy nearby Covenant communication jammers, hindering contact with the battle group. *''0743 Hours': Covenant ground forces make massive pushes into Charlemagne and Gradlon, sightings of Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platforms are confirmed pressing into the latter city. *'0815 Hours': BRAVE Team reaches TRIDENT Base. In progress... '''March 12' *In progress... March 13 *In progress... March 14 *In progress... March 17 *In progress... March 20 *In progress... March 21 *In progress... Participants In Progress... Gallery